Activities & Initiatives

Activities & Initiatives

EPA is undertaking a variety of activities and initiatives to support
the reuse and revitalization of properties before, during, and after cleanup.
These activities and initiatives reflect the new approaches that our programs
are taking to foster the reuse and revitalization of once-contaminated
properties to benefit communities.

Demonstrating New Approaches
Several offices and programs within EPA are actively piloting new and
innovative approaches to promote land revitalization. Pilot programs allow
EPA to demonstrate and test a variety of new technical, programmatic,
and collaborative approaches which, if successful, can be replicated and
reproduced in other areas and programs.

Integrating Reuse Into Cleanup
EPA is taking major steps to integrate land reuse and revitalization into
each of its cleanup programs. The Brownfields, Superfund, RCRA, and Underground
Storage Tank (UST) cleanup programs are all incorporating policy innovations,
new assessment techniques, information sharing approaches, and education
to promote reuse before, during, and after a cleanup.

Forming Partnerships
EPA is establishing partnerships with a variety of public, private, and
non-profit organizations to foster the reuse of contaminated properties
in communities across the country. EPA recognizes the value and necessity
of forming partnerships to leverage financial and technical resources
in the cleanup and reuse process. By actively seeking partners to help
in this effort, EPA is linking diverse federal and state programs and
private organizations in close partnership to protect human health and
the environment, strengthen the private market place, and support community
revitalization.

Fostering Sustainability
Sustainable reuse is an important element in EPA’s redevelopment
programs. Sustainability refers to an approach that offers the most significant
long-term benefits to the local community–using resources efficiently
and reducing waste while encouraging local economic growth. EPA is incorporating
a variety of approaches to promote sustainable reuse, such as green building
design concepts and eco-industrial parks.

Measuring Progress
EPA is developing several results-oriented measures to track its performance
and effectiveness in the cleanup and reuse of once-contaminated properties.